Richard Rico: Best of both worlds

ONE chef's pie-shaped diner can be another chef's wedge of Camembert, in a manner of speaking. Three nights a week for two months now, that's the picture at Linda's Corner Cafe where Merchant and Parker streets meet. Every day for breakfast and lunch, it's Linda Cheechov's popular coffee shop. Thursday through Saturday, it's Lindsey Gilpin's BackDoor Bistro. Same venue, planets apart. A growing trend of sharing kitchens has come home, and the result is the best of both worlds.

We gave BackDoor a try last week. Talk about a Cinderella transformation: white linens, candles, wine goblets and ambrosia. The proof is in the pudding. I had the wild mushroom and short rib stroganoff. Lisa had the steamed wild black cod in Thai coconut broth. Also, Girl on the Hill malbec. And creme brulee. My goodness. The triangular cafe has been there since forever. We sat at a table where Reporter staffers and I once plotted the future of our newspaper on old napkins. Linda has operated the cafe for five years, with help from her mom, Nancy Gonzales Cheechov.

Lindsey grew up here, graduating Vaca High in 2002. After a degree in biz from Humboldt State, she felt she had to get cooking -- literally. She graduated from the Napa Valley Cooking School in St. Helena and worked two-plus years for the Solbar Solage Resort in Calistoga. She later worked as a line cook while doing catering for her dad John Gilpin's wine business (Quercus and Vitus). She didn't dare to dream that one day she might have her own bistro. Dad John came up with the idea of renting Linda's cafe three nights a week when the kitchen is otherwise dark. Lindsey's food is spiced with enthusiasm. "I'm really excited about this; it's going great!" Lindsey loves what she's doing. So will you, I promise. Make a res: 330-5817.

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REPORTER Sports did a fine job last week on the story about Bulldog wrestler-scholar Chris Lai. With a head for business and a GPA in the stratosphere, he'll attend University of Pennsylvania after graduating Vaca High in June. When test scores come in, Chris is "pretty sure" his GPA will top out at 4.8. He's already been accepted into UofP's wrestling program.

But there's a little more to the story -- the family's relationship with Vacaville. Chris is the grandson of Carol and Walter Graham, he being Vacaville's city manager from 1967 to '84. It was one of the most productive eras in city history. Chris was only 7 when his grandfather died in 2002, but the genes live on. Walt joined the city as director of public works, moving up to city administrator, later city manager.

He retired in '84 when he went to work for Bechtel in Saudi Arabia. It launched assistant John Thompson's own era. Walt exuded confidence, which brings us back to Chris. His inherited genes had mostly to do with IQ. Walt did play water polo at Sac City before going on to UC, Berkeley.

It all runs in the family; Chris' mother, Beth, is a VUSD teacher. Grandmother Carol is nothing if not active. On walks, her stride devours sidewalks. Her energy is shared with Vaca Museum, NorthBay's Guild and her church guild. And bridge. Wrestling is for now, but Chris is focused on business. "Penn has the best school in the world; I'd be crazy not to," he said.

Sounds like somebody else we knew.

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TALK about a joyful coincidence, next year's valedictorians at W. C. Wood and Vaca High will meet up again -- at Princeton. Brandon Sixto and Nickolas Dreher both received prestigious QuestBridge full-ride scholarships to the premier Ivy League university. Add to that, both plan to study medicine. Is it Vacaville's water? Yeah, and a whole lot of brilliance and hard work. Congratulations, gentlemen.

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THE MAYAN End of Days was exaggerated, although it does seem at times that things couldn't get worse. So it looks like we'll be having a new year after all.

Waffling on the edge of a Fiscal Cliff doesn't compare with sinking into a bog of noncivility; we've fallen into that abyss more than once. So much to do next year. Where to begin? With guns, gay marriage, the Supreme Court, cannabis, your elected, your neighbor? You, us? Can any of it be discussed civilly and resolved in 2013, if ever? Happy New Year anyway? Absolutely. Let's just add: To Be Continued.